Memphis PD’s Short Staff Could Continue Under Budget Shortfall

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Memphis PD’s Short Staff Could Continue Under Budget Shortfall

FAST FACTS:

The Memphis Police Department is facing an officer shortage and it’s may not turn around until the city straightens out its financial problems

The Memphis Police department is 66 officers short.

In addition to overcoming that deficit they want to add over 100 officers to the force

(Memphis) The Memphis Police force should be at 2480 officers this year.

Right now, the force is over 60 officers short of that number.

Twenty-nine officers are on non-enforcement duty while they are under some sort of investigation.

Kristian Guy has lived in Memphis her whole life, and has been the victim of a burglary. Knowing MPD may be short-staffed frightens her, “Crime is everywhere. And I think we need more officers. They should raise their pay actually. I think if they had more pay they would probably have more people to protect us.”

Mayor A C Wharton says police staffing isn’t the only problem, “For example police and fire vehicles. They brought in about a $12 Million request. This is badly need equipment. We have cars that are way overdue. We have fire equipment that’s spent its life.”

Wharton says filling those positions, and replacing that equipment, is dependent on a city tax increase.

That vote will be held one week from Tuesday.

Council will vote on an additional .18% to be added to the tax rate.

That .18 is the last part of the 3.36% tax rate that was approved in June of 2011.

That last .18 was never collected as part of the year’s tax rate because the mayor’s office thought they may not have to, but then sales tax and other income streams fell short.